Our Fierce Joy

John 1:6-12, NIRV

⁶There was a man sent from God. His name was John. ⁷ He came to be a witness about that light. He was a witness so that all people might believe. ⁸ John himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ The Word was in the world. And the world was made through him. But the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to what was his own. But his own people did not accept him. ¹² Some people did accept him and did believe in his name. He gave them the right to become children of God.

Verses marked NIRV are from the New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Objects/supplies:

• A strand of colorful blinking lights
• Small tea-light battery-operated candles— enough for each child to have one or to surround the Christmas tree.

Playlist song:

• “Joy to the World” (United Methodist Hymnal 246)

Message: Joy

We are another week closer to the big day! We are getting even closer. Are you even more excited than you were last week? Today is the third Sunday in Advent. Just as a reminder, tell me again what Advent means? (Allow children to respond.) That’s right, Advent is a time for preparation and waiting. This surely is exciting. When I count to three, I want you to loudly answer my next question. Ready? One, two, three: Who are we preparing and waiting for? (Allow children to exclaim.) Hearing you shout the name of Jesus brings such joy to me.

That’s right! God’s Word, the light of the world, is coming in person. To help share this good news with the world, God sent a man named John the Baptist to tell people about it and prepare them to believe this good news. We spoke about John last week, as we described Jesus’ baptism because it was John who baptized Jesus.

Some people, however, didn’t believe John. They didn’t believe that the Word of God would be coming in person. They said that was impossible. So, when Jesus came, they didn’t recognize anything extraordinary about him. They thought he was just an ordinary person, nothing special.

BUT some people did believe the good news that John shared! The believed that, in Jesus, God’s Word had come into the world in a new way. That’s an amazing story! That’s the story of Christmas! I am so excited and that brings me such joy that I feel like I might be glowing! Am I glowing? (Allow children to answer.)

Today, I have a strand of multicolored lights. They are supposed to twinkle. Let me place them around the tree and let’s see if they actually twinkle. (Place the strand on the tree. Make sure the lights will come on and twinkle and can be plugged into an outlet near the tree). I also have a small tea-light that looks like a candle for each of you. As you turn the candle on and hold it in your hand, it makes your hand look like it’s glowing. Glowing with joy! Let’s see if we can place them in a circle on the floor around the base of the tree. Can you place your candle around the tree? Be sure to turn the candle on first. (Play the playlist song in the background as children place their candles around the tree.) The candles will remind us how the Advent season brings excitement and joy, as we prepare for the coming of Christmas. This will make Christmas more meaningful in our lives as we draw closer and closer to the celebration.

While we decorate, remember our Advent playlist. This playlist will help us enjoy some of the season’s beautiful music and remember the true meaning of Christmas. As we decorate the tree each week, listen to the words in the songs selected. Play them each week with your family as you spend time together preparing for Christmas as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns
Let all their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy

What word did you hear in today’s playlist song? (Allow children to answer.) That’s right, we heard the word “joy”! In fact, we heard the lyrics say, “repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy.” There is so much joy in the playlist song this week that we must repeat the sounding joy!

As we pray, let’s look at our tree. As we look at the twinkling lights on the tree and the candlelight that surrounds it, I wonder what gives you joy this Christmas. Joy is something that we shouldn’t keep to ourselves. It should be shared this Christmas. This week, I encourage you to share the joy of this season, so others can believe this wonderful, amazing story! Let’s pray.

Prayer:

God of all goodness and love, may all the world know that the joy you give is not a feeling of happiness. Give me the opportunity to share the joy in my heart for your love to others, so that they might know the true meaning of Christmas – the birth of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.